News & Sports For April 14th
Friday, April 14, 2006 at 6:30AM Man Injured In 4-Wheeler Wreck
One man was seriously injured in a 4-wheeler wreck on Thursday. The incident happened on the
Local Man Assaulted & Robbed
A North Wilkesboro man was caught by surprise when going out for some supplies Thursday morning. He was at the Grocery Bag Store when another man came walking up and punched him in the face. As the victim was lying dazed on the ground, his assailant went through his pockets and took $25 before jumping into a car and taking off. The victim was able to give sheriff’s deputies a description of his assailant, as well as the car he drove off in. That investigation continues.
3WC Eye On Politics Part V: County Commissioners
Here on the 3WC News, we’re continuing our series on the political races in Wilkes County. Beginning with today’s newscasts, we turn the focus toward the candidates in the Democratic primary for county commissioner, starting with incumbent Luther Parks.
7am-Mr. Parks shares some things he’s proud of from this past term.
8am-Commissioner Parks discusses the current tax situation in the county
12 noon-Commissioner Parks will be discussing his take on how local government should interact with businesses
5pm-we’ll continue the conversation with Mr. Parks as his discusses his goals if elected for another term
Gun Stolen From North Wilkesboro Home
Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a North Wilkesboro home earlier this week after thieves broke in. The incident happened on Statesville Road, as the homeowner returned to find the front door standing wide open. Nothing was damaged inside however a .303 British rifle was missing from the man’s bedroom. That investigation continues.
Blood Drive Later Today
With the Easter holiday upon us, some people will be on the highways today traveling to visit relatives. Unfortunately that also raises the risk of an accident on the road. To plan ahead, the Wilkes Red Cross is holding a blood drive today over at the Speedway Ruitan Club. Everyone who comes out to donate blood will receive a free umbrella, commemorating 125 years of the Red Cross. That will run from 2-6:30pm and to schedule an appointment, the number is 838-4563.
Broke In To Have A Look Around
Someone broke into a camper on the Vannoy Road earlier this week, but apparently just wanted to look inside. Nothing was missing from the camper and no damage was done, except for the aluminum door which had been pried open. An estimated $300 worth of damage was done to the door and that investigation is ongoing.
Know What The Roads Are Like Before Leaving
As people pack up today to visit family and friends, it’s important to know what road conditions are like across the county. For people in Wilkes that can be accessed now on the internet by visiting the state DOT webpage at www.ncdot.org/traffictravel. Once there you can click on the real time travel information option and it will let you know what roads are like and how long a delay you can expect on your drive into work. In addition, the DOT wants to remind people of the “Move Over Law” now in effect across North Carolina. Under the new law, drivers are required to switch lanes or slow down when passing EMS, police or any other emergency personnel stopped on the side of the road.
Warning Continues For Bronchitis Medicine
If you’re fighting bronchitis, there are some things you need to know before reaching for that bottle of medicine. Federal regulators are continuing their investigation into the drug telithromycin, commonly known as Ketek. It’s a prescription drug that is used to fight bronchitis, sinusitis and pneumonia. A recent series of deaths and heath problems could be linked to the drug, officials say. One patient at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte died earlier this year after taking the drug, while another developed hepatitis. There is no evidence proving that Ketek was responsible for the problems, however the FDA is asking anyone who is taking Ketek to immediately call their doctor if any signs of liver problems start to occur.
The Taxman Returns Part I: Stress Reducers
Well we are t-minus three days and counting til the dreaded tax deadline of April 17th. But if you haven’t filed yet, don’t feel bad. An estimated 35% of Americans wait to file til the last minute, due to job and family responsibilities. If you’re one of those last minute filers, the IRS has some suggestions. First, start today and organize your tax records. With four days left, you might be surprised how quickly the filing process goes once you start. If you need to, pull out last year’s tax returns to use as a guide in preparing your documents. Also if you have questions, the IRS will probably have answers. They have a free question and answer section set up online at www.IRS.gov. The IRS also suggests that you file electronically, as it will get your return sent out quicker and that refund check brought back a lot faster. So far, over 1.6 million Americans have filed online this tax season, some using a variety of free programs. Here in North Carolina, you can file for free through the State Department of Revenue’s website at www.dor.state.nc.us. That program applies if you’re making $50,000 a year or less. Coming up on Monday’s newscast, we’ve reached the end of the road and it’s time to get that return in the mail. But what if you can’t afford to pay the government what you owe? We’ll offer some suggestions to consider.
Spring Share-A-Thon
The Spring share-a-thon for Ebenezer Children’s Home on 3WC will be held on April 28th & 29th. Volunteers are needed, as always, to make the event a success. Help is needed to answer the phones at the radio station, to work at the hot dog stand, and stand at various intersections in Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro and collect money. To get involved you can call the Home at 336-667-LOVE.
State News
Explosion Hits UNC Charlotte
An explosion rocked the UNC Charlotte campus Thursday morning, leaving students and teachers in the dark. Just after 7am, work crews were attempting to repair an electrical line underground when suddenly the ground exploded and fire started pouring out of the hole. It’s unclear what ignited the explosion, which knocked out the power across campus and caused classes to be cancelled for the rest of the day. Out of the four workers, one has been released from the hospital, two others are in serious condition and the last has been taken to the North Carolina Burn Center in Chapel Hill in critical condition. No one else was injured in the blast, which witnesses said could be heard almost a mile away. OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, has investigators on the scene, checking into what caused the damage.
Pinehurst Man Stages Kidnapping
A Pinehurst man is in jail today, charged with staging his own kidnapping. Earlier this month, Jarid Hardee was arrested for stalking his ex girlfriend. He was placed on house arrest but then vanished. Soon after, his mother started receiving text message threats about what would happen to her son. Detectives investigated and found Hardee unharmed, living under the ex girlfriend’s house. He had set up shop in the crawlspace under the woman’s home, complete with canned food, a scanner, a machete, duct tape and a ski mask. Officials believe that Hardee was listening to the detectives, sending out the text messages to throw them off course.
Thousands Stranded Due To Bridge Problem
A defect in one North Carolina bridge stranded thousands of travelers on Thursday. While doing some routine work on Wednesday, engineers discovered a structural problem on the Little River Bridge in Johnston County. By Thursday morning, work crews were on their way out to the site, but the bridge, which is part of a major Amtrak rail line, had to be shut down. In doing so, Amtrak cancelled all of its’ New York to Florida and Virginia to Florida trains, as they would all have to cross the bridge. Over 2500 people have already been stranded by the repairs, as they’ve had to take buses or altogether cancel their Easter plans. Workers estimate that the bridge should be back up and running by this afternoon.
Job Cuts Coming For Mental Health Facility
A plan to save the state money will end up costing some Guilford County workers their jobs. $1.6 million in funding was taken away from the Guilford County Mental Health Center when the state outsourced work to a Virginia company. That company will now handle all Medicaid cases at a cheaper price, saving the state but leaving patients and workers out in the cold. Under the new guidelines, the Guilford Center can no longer handle Medicaid recipients, meaning they’ll have to go to another agency for help. In addition, 135 workers see their jobs terminated between now and December.
New History Museum Opens Its’ Doors
If you’re heading out to the coast this summer, there’s a new attraction to check out. On Thursday, the long delayed Museum of the Albemarle opened its’ doors for the first time. The 50,000 sq. foot area is dedicated to the history of the northeastern part of the state, displaying items such as handmade silver, a restored farmer’s house from the 1700s and an old shad boat from 1904. The project has been over 8 years in the making, delayed first by Hurricane Floyd and then by poor economic conditions.
Sports Headlines
High School Scoreboard
Around the high school scene last night, it was the Elkin Bucking Elks beating East Wilkes in varsity baseball 15-7. In the jv matchup Elkin also took the victory, winning 11-4 and in softball it was East Wilkes beating the Lady Elks 8-0.
Redick Receives Top Award
While the Blue Devils season didn’t end as planned, Duke’s J.J. Redick continues to clean up the awards. On Wednesday Redick was given the Sullivan Award, handed out by the AAU organization to the nation’s top amateur athlete each year. In winning the trophy, Redick became the first men’s basketball player to do so since Bill Walton back in 1973.
UNC Charlotte Lands Recruit
In other college basketball news, UNC Charlotte officially landed another recruit for next season. High school senior David Booker, a 6’7 ft. forward from Mississippi, signed on with the team. As a senior for Moss Point High School, Booker averaged 27 points and 12 rebounds a night, scoring 50 points in the school’s first round game of the state tournament.
Bobcats Look To Reward Felton
In a season shot by injuries, the Charlotte Bobcats took a step toward securing their future by announcing this week they plan to pick up the third year option for rookie guard Raymond Felton. Felton has won back to back Rookie Of The Month awards in February and March and is giving Chris Paul some competition for Rookie Of The Year. The former UNC Tarheel says that the move makes him feel good, because he feels it was earned on the court.
Panthers Cornerback To Possibly Leave
In the NFL, the Carolina Panthers could be minus one familiar face come training camp. Cornerback Ricky Manning is meeting with the Chicago Bears this weekend and is considering a deal with the team. As Manning is a restricted free agent, the Panthers have the right to match any offer but must do so within seven days. If the Panthers decline the offer, Chicago will owe them a third round draft pick.
Debuts Coming In Racing
Taking a look at the Busch racing circuit, this will be a debut weekend of sorts as drivers head to Nashville. Erin Crocker will be making her first start in the Busch series this weekend along with another rookie driver with a familiar last name. Steve Wallace, son of Rusty Wallace, will climb behind the wheel for his first Busch race as well.
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